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In the middle of the night, in the comfort of his bed, his mate curled by his side, Yuuri Nikiforov-Katsuki thought to himself...
I'm going to die tonight.
He'd had a long, good life; far better that he could have ever imagined. When he'd first understood what his family business entailed, and what his role in it would be, Yuuri had made peace with the reaper, determined to live as long as he had to, even if it was not long at all. He had thought the same when his father had arranged for him to be married to the heir of one of the biggest Bravta of Russia. Of course, just because he had accepted his eventual death didn't mean he would let fate trample him, and his little dalliance before his wedding was just one of the many spats he felt like giving destiny.
He couldn't have known than rather than a punishment, his fiancé had been the greatest gift life could ever give him.
Viktor Nikiforov was peerless. Yuuri was sure than thousands of years from now on, there wouldn't be a man on this earth like Viktor had been. Perfect in every sense, as strong as he was beautiful, terribly clever under his whimsical willfulness, a paragon among Alphas... and yet, despite what social mores and his own culture had taught him, he didn't take Yuuri for a broodmare or a bedwarmer. To this day, Yuuri had no idea what Viktor had seen in him, what crossed Viktor's mind when he first saw Yuuri that motivated him to take the omega as his consort with equal power, for them to rule together. Yes, Yuuri was aware he could have been considered attractive before, but as his own reflection could attest now beauty was ephemeral, and sexual skills could only hook a man for so long, and yet... all this time, Viktor hadn't turned him away once.
Not even as Yuuri grew older, and his once flattering features were marred with age, his ebony hair was peppered in white, dark lines on his legs and liver spots on his arms.
Not even when, after one too many sudden pains, a visit from their private doctor confirmed his own suspicions: that Yuuri was dying.
Viktor may have suspected already, for he didn't say anything, simply holding Yuuri in his arms and weeping over his shoulder and chest. His children's reactions had been the same, silent acceptance, sorrow evident in their features; Vitaly had been inconsolable, a streak of denial hitting soon after the news, but he himself had to know, as reality settled over the family...
Past his seventies, a few years shy of eighty, Yuuri had lived long enough.
And he was much more grateful for the love he was given, than the time he was granted.
Sickness razed him quickly, even high on medicines and painkillers he could feel the searing in his bones. Soon he lost his autonomy, being forced to rely on his family for the simplest tasks; then he lost the ability to walk altogether, confined to a bed for what little was left of his life, it frustrated him to no end. But all the while, Viktor and Vitaly cared for him without fault, it was both parts irritating, amusing and heartwarming how much the alphas pampered him. Yulian had left his home in France to stay with Yuuri in his final days, his husbands each took turns accompanying him. Alyona, so used to not staying in one place for too long, had settled down in the family mansion, undoubtedly to wait for the inevitable. Aiko too had traveled back from Japan, and together with Yukiko their cheerful disposition helped bring light back to the dreary home, their sorrow hidden behind an increasingly visible mask.
And tonight, he felt deep within himself, death would come.
He was afraid, but not for himself. He had long prepared for this moment.
It was Viktor that he feared for. He knew, from the sneaking glances of his children, and those glimpses Viktor thought went unseen, that the alpha had been preparing for his own end as well.
A bond as strong and lasting as theirs... Yuuri may not understand what drew Viktor to him, but he understood the depths of his devotion, and he was afraid that very same bond would drag Viktor to death with him.
Viktor's death, just like his own, was now a certainty.
Yuuri couldn't held back his tears at the thought.
He tried to muffle his sobs with his hands, but it was in vain, his distress alone — flowing free through his bond — was enough to rouse Viktor from sleep. The russian's drowsiness soon gave way to concern, and caressing Yuuri's face with one hand he asked, "Miliy, what's wrong?"
Like a dam had been broken, Yuuri's cries turned harsher, burying himself against the alpha's chest he let loose his lament and regret, soaking the other's shirt in tears. Viktor held him in his arms, caressing his back and combing fingers through Yuuri's gray hair, whispering sweet nothings in both their native languages, the comforting smell of pine and fresh snow — mixed with saltwater and cherry blossoms — permeated the air around them.
When no more sobs spilled from his lips — as the tears fell still from his eyes — Yuuri whispered, harsh and tremulous like a terrible secret, "I... I-I'm dying Viktor... I'm going to die tonight..." With trembling hands he pressed himself into his alpha's chest, fists clenched into the other's shirt, "... I'm going to die... And you too... You're going to die because of me..."
His chest constricted with pain and sorrow, "... I'm so sorry, Viktor..."
Viktor embrace tightened around him, then he gently took Yuuri by the chin, like he had done so many times before — each time tinted with his devotion for Yuuri — and turned his face upwards; even in the darkness, Yuuri could see clear blue eyes shining with unshed tears. "... Zolotse, don't be sad..." Viktor's eyes closed, tears spilling then, as he leaned in for a kiss Yuuri felt brush his lips before he was aware of the other's movement. "... Living with you... And dying with you... It's a blessing I would trade the world for..."
"... You deserve longer..." Yuuri whispered in a broken sob.
".... Not without you... Never without you..." Viktor smiled then, a tremulous but hopeful thing, like the last snowflake of a long winter. "Didn't I tell you before...? Yuuri, you're my life and love... Nothing is worth more than this joy you've given me..."
Breathless laughter came through Yuuri's throat, watery with melancholy. "... Wasn't that part of you vows...?"
"Ah, perhaps... I'm very forgetful after all..." Another brush of lips, lingering, reverent, pulling Yuuri like gravity he was too willing to fall into. "But you, lyubov moya... Everything about you will always come back to me..."
Like instinct, their hands fell into each other, entwining, gold bands glinting in the dark of the night. Yuuri felt the pull of an unseen force, felt cold wrap around him, sparking fear anew. He knew his hands were shaking, when Viktor brought Yuuri's hand closer and kissed it once, twice, thrice — lingering over his wedding band.
"... Viktor, tell me... We'll still be together after this life...?" Yuuri was never sure about the afterlife, if there was a heaven, a hell, or a beyond; but he was sure, anything Viktor could answer him, he would believe, and then he wouldn't fear anymore.
"... Yuuri..." This time, when Viktor pulled him into another kiss, it wasn't like the gentle brushes he had been given before. When their lips locked it was profound, reverent, loving, a testament of their devotion; it left him breathless, skin tingling, and underneath his weary and pained bones he felt young again, body and mind charged with the memory of such kisses in a night of passion, in front of an altar, in the candlelight. "... Like you always come back to me... I'll always come back to you... I promise you..."
A darkness deeper than the night clawed at the borders of his sight, Yuuri knew it was time, but he wasn't afraid anymore. He knew now, whatever awaited him, Viktor would be walking by his side, lighting the way with their love.
"...Thank you...Viktor..." Yuuri let his eyes close, breathing the scent of his beloved one last time. "... I love you..."
And when senses and feeling were taken from him, from somewhere in the depths Yuuri heard his mate's voice clearly...
"...I love you too, my Yuuri..."
When the first light of dawn filtered through the room, it found the lovers in their bed, curled into each other, a smile of quiet bliss in each face, long after their lungs were emptied of air and their hearts stopped beating.
Beyond death, they would remain together.